May 31, 2008

I thought some of you would enjoy a quick tutorial on how to make those little paper flowers I used as part of my table setting a couple weeks ago. The credit for these go to Martha Stewart (I saw this idea nearly 10 years ago in her magazine, but haven't been able to find it on her website). So here I go..

Step 1: Draw a spiral on a 4x4" square sheet of paper

Step 2: Cut out spiral along lines you have drawn

Step 3: Begin rolling up the spiral from the outside

Step 4: Keep on rolling until there's no more left to roll

Step 5: You're done!

I used a slightly heavier weight paper for this one, but you can use normal paper as well. You can use squares of various sizes to have different sized flowers. Besides sticking them on branches, they would be great scattered on the table as well. Heck, you can even make a little bouquet of them. Have fun!

Note: You may use a bit of glue or double-stick tape to keep the flower from unrolling and loosening up with time. I didn't glue the ends for these specific flowers and they held up alright.

209 comments:

wendy,thank you for this - i've been thinking about making a bunch of these for my brother's wedding reception this july {it is totally casual, but these will make it feel special} - one question: do you glue or tape or tuck the end in? how do you keep it from unrolling?THANK YOU!tia

Hi Tia! I don't use tape or glue to affix the end, but it probably is a good idea to do it. They can unroll on the branches, but not too much, so I just kept them as is. I think Martha Stewart did say to glue the end though. Good luck with the reception decor! Sounds fun :)

You're welcome J! I hope you have fun with the flowers. And oh my, thanks so much for letting me know I got on the front page 'cause I was seriously sitting there wondering why my views were going up so fast! So exciting! Thanks! :)

I Wendy,I'm from Portugal and today while I was researching on the internet the subject «paper flower» I found out your blog...that was a very nice surprise to me!I loved this flowers, they seem so simple but at the same time so beautifil...Congratulations!

Hello! I just stumbled across your blog from Celestina Carmen blog. I have to say I love the simplicity and organic nature of your designs. Really beautiful. And I just might have to try my hand at some of these paper flowers!

I tried making these and they came out great. At first I was having some trouble because I thought I was supposed to set the look of the flower as I wound it up but then I tried just winding it somewhat tightly and then letting go at the end and that worked really well - the paper 'naturally fell' into place.

Just for fun I tried it again without rounding the edges of the spirals and with the square corners pointed upwards it gave it a really neat shape.

Hi Wendy,it is said that “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery” and today I am Imitating Wendy Chung’s Tutorial: Paper Flower Table Setting of Dozi Design but I used felt !Please come and visit Craft Gossip Felting and do leave a comment.

THANKS for your tutorial. It's great!! And my little artists have created some roses in your honor ;-)You can see them, if you want, in http://manualescanigo.blogspot.com/2009/04/las-rosas-de-sant-jordi.html

Wow, this is great!! I use "stumble!" and one of the things I said I liked was crafty stuff. I was bored and was "stumbling", and this site came up. I'm so excited to go out and try this now!! Thank you!!

Hi wendy I'd love to pop your tutorial with full credit to you on a new blog I'm creating called sharing crafty ideas. Too often I see great ideas out there, try them for myself and can't remember who to give credit too! xx

These were incredibly easy to make. Thank you for the tutorial. My friend showed me this post when we were looking for ideas for my friend's bachelorette party. I'm currently working on a blog post over at http://heylovedc.tumblr.com and it will link back to here. :)

Nice idea. Is there a way maybe to affix a green paper stem to it? i think it'd be pretty easy. I was thinking about making one for all my girl friends (I'm a guy) as something nice that doesnt seem like I'm saying "I LOVE YOU!" for valentines day.

I have a picture that I got at Hobby Lobby years ago of red flower in a vase with blue, yellow and green background on an orange table... know the one? Anyways, love the picture and these flowers remind me of them. So, I'm making them to go next to my TV! Just need to go cut some branches and spray paint them brown. Thanks so much for the easy idea!

Wendy - I found your tutorial through Anita Rex who made your paper flowers for a card that got picked up on the Hero Arts blog. I had so much fun making these flowers - so easy and so elegant. I posted my version on my newbie blog. Thanks for posting this. I'll make these again and again.

oh my! these are terrific! i have been looking high and low for an easy and elegant paper flower! i am planning events to honor vets and we want make a personalized wreath to put on our neighborhood war memorial for Memorial day. so many paper flowers i have come across look cheesy or are so overly complicated they would be too hard to coordinate a large group to participate!!! thanks!

I love those paper red roses. If haven't seen how you do it, I'd thought this is hard to do. Thanks for posting the tutorial, so simple but fantastic. The vase looks cool, where did you get it? Thanks a lot for sharing. :)

My name is Bethany Marcello, and I write for the yet-to-be-launched Craftfoxes.com - a crafting and social networking site.We're putting together some great stuff for our upcoming launch, featuring everything from quilting to sewing to crafting and baking.

One of our writers came across this picture of the roses on your site and was wondering if you would grant us permission to use it? We'd give you a link to your site.

Hi Wendy. Nice piece of work there.Thanks for your sharing.I am currently doing these roses for valentine's day, for my girl.Do you mind if i share this on my blog?If it is not, it is alright.Still, thank you very much!! =]

That is absolutely gorgeous and simple. I used to make easier ones but they were TOTALLY different and not as pretty. Also they didn't look real. It was just something I added to cards. Mine looked unrealistic and like kids artwork but this is realistic and professional. Also they can be used for decoration to look nice! LOVE IT!

I had forgotten where I had first seen this technique, so when I happened upon this page again I had to give credit where credit is due. Inspired by this technique, I made a food version of this flower– crepe roses. Delicious and pretty. Thanks for the inspiration!

I found your blog via Pinterest! What a beautiful & easy to follow tutorial! I featured this pin as one of the inspiration pins for a Pinterest inspired baby shower here: http://www.pinfluence.com/2011/11/03/welcoming-baby-emma-pinterest-style/

I've always liked the look of this so I finally tried it after seeing your tutorial. I found the branches really cheap at Old Time Pottery for 2.99 but I guess I could've found them a lot cheaper outside in the yard! LOL. It turned out SO GOOD. My sister, who never likes the things I create, loved it and said she wants a bunch for her new house, different colors for different rooms.

Oh wow I just made a crafty thing for the first time my life ! (and I'm nearly 44)

I've never been able to do this sort of thing. I'm the total cookoo in the nest of a very crafty family.

Admittedly due to the "practice" materials I'm using while I get the hang of it, I have ended up with a pale blue rose on a red twig....but it is beautiful (to me) cos I can see how with few more run throughs I'll get to the point where I can make something approaching the finished project.

I've posted a link to your directions from http://diyweddingplanning.blogspot.com. I love these! So easy! And for a mother planning a Valentine's weekend wedding next year these are a life-saver! Also recommended my brides come visit your site.

My goodness it I am in charge of kids crafts for World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7, 2012) at the First Friday celebration on our city. I needed a quick, easy "something." These roses are IT. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I had a bunch of tracheostomy ties in blue with white stars on them. We will use them as the band, make a paper rose (just the size you recommend here) and stick the rose to the band with a 1-3/4 inch steel paper fastener. It makes an awesome bracelet. I can't wait till the Lycoming-Clinton Breastfeeding coalition meeting tomorrow. I am going to hand every member a 4x4 piece of red paper and pair of scissors. Everyone is going to make one!

this is gorgeous, i had a go at making one flower, just to see if i could and i love it, thanks for sharing, pictures here http://abimakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/paper-flowers-and-3d-star-try-outs.html

Thank you for this article. I needed to make some flowers for a school project but most of the ones I found were too complicated. I also found that spraying the rose with hairspray helps it hold better.

Wow! So easy and so helpful! Just used your flower tutorial to make a heart wreath for Valentine's Day! Check it out! http://eatsleepcrafts.blogspot.com/2013/01/valentines-paper-flower-heart-wreath.html

I love this so I featured it in my blog post on FaveCrafts. You can see the post here: http://www.favecraftsblog.com/lasting-love-paper-flowers-crafts-for-kids-to-make-other-flower-crafts/. Feel free to share it with your readers!

I am in love with these flowers... and this tutorial shows to start rolling from the outside (not inside - which is where I was wrong when first trying!)

However, I have a question... mine always end up looking more like a circle with a spiral inside than a rose.. is there a trick to rolling it so that it is shaped more like a rose? Should I be rolling up, down, or right along the paper? Also, when cutting, should the spiral be the same thickness all the way around, or thicker at one end?

Hi Allie - I would say just roll right along the paper, maybe try to keep the inside edge (what would be the bottom of the flower) somewhat lined up as you roll, and also try to keep the roll tight as you're going along. The thickness of the spiral shouldn't matter too much but I would try to keep the thickness more consistent. Hope that helps! Good luck :)